St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-04-07
"lLLUsl0Ns EN- BATTLE"
The Subject OF an Interesting Paper
by GEN. 5. 4. JennisOn Before the
Loyal Lesion COmmandery.

by GEN. 5. q. Jennison Before the
Loyal Lesion COmmandery.
The April meeting of Minnesota Com
mandery of the Loyal Legion. held in
the ladies' ordinary of the Ryan last even
ing. was well attended. At the business
meeting Chief Justice James Gillian,
Judge o. P. Stearns. of Duluth and Capt.
j. N. Searles, of ST. Cloud. were elected
members. Applications for membership
were received from Judge William Loeb
rem, of Minneapolis. and Capt. Frank NJ
Thompson, of Benson. The paper of the
evening, by Gen. S. P. Jennison. on the
illusions i'll Battle" was read by Capt.
Castle. Gen. JenniSOn being absent. The
paper was an enumeration of some Of the
misconceptions OF the writer's own mind as
to military matters; his fear of failure, be-
cause of a lack of military mind evinced in
the fondnesS for militia parades; his dread
of horseback riding. which some weeks of
winter marching in Kentucky caused: his
surprise at the early retirement of the des-
perate fellows on several occasions; and his
telief that the war was nearly over after
each of the successes in the West in 1862.
Every volunteer admits thas he had illu-
Sions about war. as it was TO be. The errors
uidut ny SGilCTdlS VI UOlH III their re-
Gently written accounts, were alluded to in
proof of this. The official reports often con-
tradicted their recollections. Perhaps the
official reports had been made too Soon Such
active Renaissance was conjectured 10 be
peculiar to military men, but certainly was
not specially SO to those of the civil war He
remembered having been aStounded at the
narration of a Mexican war veteran who
told him of his hair having been turned
white as snow in single battle. On his ex-
pressing surprise, the veteran said it turned
back again in month. Then followed a
which the Second Minnesota regi.
ment was most creditably engaged.
The Second Minnesota and the Ninth Ohio he
said formed such d regard for each other that
they were willing to steal in each others
name.
An Indiana brigade commander left his
troops when attacked and went mile and a
half after reinforcements. That was because
he was
~ = GREAT POLITICAL RUsTLTR
and he went to urge Gen. Thomas TO get out
the full party strength.
Gen. Thomas was criticised for pursuing
the flying enemy in line of battle. Those
critics. if in the army at all were in the ranks.
Most OF the men who ought to have been
at the head of armies were at the head of
newspapers" The rest OF such were in the
ranks or held second lieutenant's commits
sions.
The following tribute to Gen. Thomas
closed the paper: Criticism of Gen.
Thomas still continues; but it tells his
merit and gives him his unique
position among our great generals to say that
no enemy, no general opposed to him, ever
had ANYTHING to boast of in the results of such
opposition. No one ever surprised him. No
one whom he ever went after slipped away
from him. No one ever worsted him or de-
luded him. No successes cost so few lives as
those he won. No service was so Loyalty done
as tina. he rendered No honors were so
modestly borne as those he earned. No
greater soul ever dwelt in human breast than
that which lived in him.
Interesting remarks on the Battle of Mill
Spring were also made by Gen. Bishop.
Yesterday being the twenty-fifth anniver-
sary of the battle of Shiloh. Mai. Hender-
son. of Minneapolis, gave an interesting ac-
count OF that eventful battle. dwelling at
some length upon the surprise by
the rebels and the gallant work of
Gen. Prentiss in keeping them back.
Gen. Sanborn, Judge Rea and DR.. Murphy
spoke on the subject, until finally ex-Gov.
Marshall, who had sat quietly listening to
the narrative. could stand it no longer. and
in most eloquent terms he stated that too
much credit could not be given to Gen.
Buell. for his work that day. His services
were as valuable to Gen. Grant on that day
as were those of Butcher to Wellington al
| Waterloo. and he could not bear to hear
amy words of dsparagement concerning
| BuelPs services on that day. The meeting
was then adjourned, and lunch followed.